Do you want to save money on fresh fruits and veggies? The Britannia Bulk Buying Group purchases fresh produce at wholesale prices saving you about 40% on your food bill. Food is bought once a month and brought to Britannia Community Centre in East Vancouver to sort and pick up. Cost is $14 for about 9 varieties and 2 bags of food.

For more information call  604 718-5895.

Cooking With

If you live in the West End of Vancouver, here is a fun Community Kitchen to get involved in. On January 18th Gordon Neighbourhood House’s Chef Peter Nguyen lead a group of 9 at Cooking With, a monthly community kitchen brought to you by Young Ideas that supports young adults in growing their culinary ability.

January’s menu of Malaysian Curry Chicken, Barley Risotto, Root Vegetable Slaw, and Blueberry Buckle Cake was inspired by the cookbook, Goodness: Recipes and Stories. All of this food was enjoyed at a cost of only $2 per person.

To sign up for the next Cooking With (Monday, February 22nd, 7:00-9:00pm) you can email GNH at youngideas@gordonhouse.org  or call at 604-683-2554.

Vancouver Food Networks and Food Justice

Across Vancouver, there are networks of committed people focusing on food justice and resilience at the neighbourhood level. The creation of these Neighbourhood Food Networks (NFN) represent the will of community members, organizations, and agencies to collaborate on food-based initiatives and programs. The Neighbourhood Food Network Working Group provides a space for NFN representatives from across the city to collaborate and act with a unified voice.

Disability Alliance BC considers these Food Networks to be vital to the health and well-being of people with disabilities in neighbourhoods across Vancouver. The NFNs provide opportunities for people with disabilities to get involved in food issues in their communities.

Here are the kinds of activities Community Food Networks are involved in:

• Community and school gardens connect people around the rich experience of growing food and foster environmental stewardship.
• Celebrations involving food meet physical, spiritual, social and emotional needs, while at the same time increase community awareness around food security and reduce social isolation.
• Accessing food includes drop-in meals, bulk buying clubs, mobile produce markets, emergency food access, and more. NFNs acknowledge and work to break down barriers that prevent people from accessing nutrient-rich, affordable, and personally acceptable food.
• NFNs share knowledge and resources around every level of our food systems. Education and engagement takes the form of workshops, lectures and films, advocacy, and research.

To check out the Neighbourhood Food Network in your community go to: vancouverfoodnetworks.com